Re: Jamiroquai v. Stevie Wonder

internalb@vivid-edge.co.uk
Tue, 15 Apr 1997 01:16:32 +0100

>The first time I heard Jamiroquai (especially the Virtual Insanity single now
>blasted constantly via Buzz Bin radio stations) my first response was "hey
>this guy sounds like Stevie Wonder". But, because someone uses the same
>singing style of another artist only points to the fact that they admire that
>artist. All through out music artists take influence from other artists that
>have come before and put their own twist on it. Even the most new wave,
>experimental groups draw from those that have gone before them. It doesn't
>always occur as obviously as in Jamiroquai 's case, but it always occurs in
>some fashion. Jamiroquai has taken Stevie Wonder 's influence and put his
>own cosmic 90 's twist on it, and there 's nothing wrong with that.
>
>-ZED

Hmmm, but what if Stevie Wonder based his whole career on plagiarising some
other worthy predecessor? Without wild originality, music would crawl
rather than leap ahead. Perhaps Jay Kay would make a bigger impression on
me and my record collection if he'd pursued a completely radical, though
initially commercially unviable musical path? The core creative legacy of
his/S.Wonder's musical thread will surely become diluted by the third stage
- groups that copy Jamiroquai PURELY to achieve commercial success.

The most experimental artists definitely DO go off on paths that are not
even tangents off of previous material. Some notables even avoid listening
to any other music. I blame it on the drugs, coz drugs make them cool.

Tim Snaith 30 Guildown Road
Director, Vivid Edge Ltd Guildford
http://www.vivid-edge.co.uk Surrey GU2 5ET
phone/fax +44 (0) 1483 454 044 United Kingdom

"This is how it should be done,
This style is identical to none"